Experts say to check your car as extreme cold sets in

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Jan. 11, 2016) —Indianapolis is experiencing the city's coldest temperatures since last March and employees at Pete's Service Center said the extreme weather this week has business booming. The most common problems are failed batteries, broken cooling systems and problems from potholes.

“When we get extreme colds, a cold snap like that it just puts everything under a little extra stress," Pete's Service Center Manager Seth Burrell said.

Burrell suggests, if you haven't already, to get your car checked out by a professional. They should check your battery, anti-freeze fluid, brakes and tires.

He also said if you have the time in the morning, let your car run for 10 or 15 minutes before you start driving.

"One of the hardest things to do is fresh start up, cold start and then immediately put (your car) to hard work. It’s just so much stress on the vehicle," Burrell said.

Up in Fishers, the winter weather has Home Depot busy selling snow blowers and salt.

"As you can see, we are down to a few (snowblowers)," Home Depot Manager Richard Fletcher said. "Early in the season we sell a few, but when the first snow hits, we sell a lot."

However, Fletcher said while keeping your driveway clear from snow and ice is good, the most important thing to check at your home are your pipes during freezing temperatures.

“Have you ever seen the damage of a broken water pipe in a home," Fletcher said. "It runs in the thousands of dollars.”

Home Depot sells many devices to care for your pipes including insulation, heated cables that wrap around pipes and caps for your faucets outside, Fletcher said. And if you can't make it to the store tonight, Fletcher said it's never a bad idea to run a small stream of water overnight to avoid pipes freezing.